A neighbor whose home he went to after the fire broke out said Weiner suffered burns on his right arm and on the right side of his head, possibly from trying to extinguish the blaze himself before going for help.

"He walked in and said, "Call 911, my house is on fire," said Micheline Santos, whose home on Morton Street is directly adjacent to the Weiner house. "When he walked back out I could see the right arm of his jacket and his hair and ear were burned."

Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, which burned a hole in the exterior wall near the rear door of the Weiner residence. The house occupies a corner lot on Morton and President streets.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to Deputy Fire Chief Bernie Meehan.

Weiner was the sole occupant of the house, said Santos, who moved into the neighborhood about three months ago.

"I asked him whether anybody else was in there or if he had any pets, and he said no, she said.